SIZE IS EVERYTHING

When it comes to the luxury SUV segment, size — be it the length or width or even the square feet occupied by the grilles — is everything

- SIRISH CHANDRAN

THE GRILLES. OH GOD, THE GRILLES. Haven’t you moaned and groaned about the size of the kidney grilles every time a new BMW drops? Haven’t we all said it’s too big, too in-your-face, too pandering to the tastes of the Chinese? But, pull out a tape measure, and turns out the BMW has a smaller grille than the Mercedes! If group tests were aced on the acreage of the grille, the GLS would win this test!

Fortunately tests aren’t (yet!) won on the size of the grille, and styling remains a matter of personal preference — so put away the knives when I confess my preference for the X7. In pictures it might be awfully in-your-face but on the road, wow, it turns heads. I wouldn’t go so far as calling it stunning but place the two behemoths side-by-side and it is the BMW that draws second glances. It screams money and power. It gets security guards to snap their heels to attention if your guard wore heels. You will not miss it for the world.